Snip:
Lay leaders at the Haddon Township parish, recently rebuffed in an appeal to a Vatican body, now plan to take their case to a church court, the group said in a statement.In saying this, Mr. Walton is, of course, mistaken. If a church's appeal is pending, the "merger" process should be put on hold. The equivalent would be sentencing a person accused person before the jury returns with a verdict.The parishioners also said they want the Vatican to decide whether the planned merger with St. Aloysius Parish can be put on hold pending their appeal. They described that issue as "unresolved."
But Andrew Walton, a spokesman for the Diocese of Camden, said "preparatory steps related to the merger will continue."
"Church law is clear," he said, asserting the parishioners' appeal "does not result in an automatic suspension of the intended merger."
The Haddon Township parishioners last year filed an appeal, or recourse, with the Congregation of the Clergy. In a response last month, the Vatican body indicated Galante already had addressed the lay leaders' concerns, when the bishop in August 208 said St. Vincent Pallotti church would continue as a worship site after the merger.But the lay leaders said they want the merged parish to have its seat at St. Vincent Pallotti church, which has undergone capital improvements worth some $1 million. Galante has said St. Aloysius will be the seat.
"The parishioners of St. Vincent Pallotti do not feel that the object of this recourse (to the Congregation) has been fulfilled, nor even addressed," the lay leaders said.
"This matter has been forwarded to the Apostolic Signatura, the Court of the Church, to initiate the appeal process," they added.
At the diocese, Walton said the Congregation's decision stated the choice of a parish seat was up to Galante. He said the Apostolic Signatura typically determines "whether the Congregation's decision-making process was in keeping with church law."
Walton also said the Haddon Township parishioners were "well within their rights" in pursuing an appeal.
"Bishop Galante believes these individuals are not only within their rights, but are motivated by sincerity, goodwill and a great love for their parish and the church," Walton said.
Of course, this begs the question, if Friends of SVP are motivated by "goodwill and a great love for their parish and the Church," what is the Bishop and those cooperating with him motivated by???
Here are a couple of comments:
1. This bishop must be stopped.
2. What else is the Bishop going to say? He is never going to admit he was wrong. I personnally see no hope for the parishioners. The Bishop will continue to throw Church Law and Doctine at the people and hope something sticks. The Catholic church is nothing more than a business. When will the members of the Catholic church realize they are only a consumer of a service and they truly do not have a say or a "real ownership" in "their" church? At one time, you could say the Church was out for the "good" of the people and respected the parishioners. Today, it appears they are out for their agenda. With the continuous arrogance shown by the Pope and the Vatican, the Church is no better than Wall Street or politicians who want everything for themselves. If the Bishop respected the parishioners, he would have asked the parishioners to determine the "seat" and only stepped if a consensus was not arrived at.